Melyssa Ford Defends New Podcast Hot & Bothered Amid Name Dispute

As she prepares to launch her new podcast, Hot & Bothered, on November 1, Melyssa Ford has responded to critics. As a media personality and video vixen, she had the opportunity to work on podcasts like I’m Here For The Food and as a co-host on The Joe Budden Podcast.

Despite criticism from other podcast hosts claiming she stole their names, she stood by her new venture.

When Chris Bruno and Cedar Shamp, the hosts of Hot and Bothered, accused Ford of stealing their show’s name and slogan, the controversy ensued. “Are you hot or are you bothered?” which appears in their Instagram bio. Shamp voiced her annoyance on social media, questioning the originality of Ford’s podcast title. “I just don’t feel like that’s super original. I’m a little torn about that,” Shamp said in a video shared on their Instagram Stories.

Bruno and Shamp admitted to not knowing Ford before the podcast name debate, which added to the tension. “As Chris and I have made abundantly clear, we don’t know who Melyssa Ford is,” Shamp stated, with Bruno chiming in, “No idea.”

In response, Ford addressed the criticism during an Instagram Live session. While acknowledging other podcasts with the Hot & Bothered title, she stressed that her version would stand out due to her more oversized following and unique style. “It is Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford, that is the difference,” she explained.

She noted that she didn’t feel particularly concerned about the other shows, pointing out that they weren’t very active.

Ford elaborated on the decision to stick with her chosen name, stating, “I’m not really interested in what anyone else is doing. She demonstrated that multiple podcasts use the Hot & Bothered title by sharing receipts on social media, further defending her choice.

The feud drew even more attention when Mandii B, one-half of the WHOREible Decisions podcast, appeared to shade Ford over the title drama subtly. Ford took to X (formerly Twitter) on October 3 to fight against the disapproval, resolutely pursuing her show.

As hot and bothered as she is, Melyssa Ford is gearing up for its November launch. Despite the controversy, it’s unclear how the podcast will be received, but Ford emphasizes that she won’t support it.